In addition, we also honor those teachers and school counselors who have inspired many students into pursuing their dream careers. Especially those who motivate young girls and women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Did you know that the key factors perpetuating gender STEAM gaps are gender stereotypes, male-dominated cultures, fewer women role models, and math anxiety? In a world where technology has taken over, pop culture used to have limited examples of female scientists and engineers in previous years, including in books and media. This also includes some cultures not being fond of women pursuing careers in STEAM and insisting on girls becoming, as an example, teachers rather than scientists.
You may be asking yourself, "well, what are majors in STEAM?" and in fact, that is a great question! I used to ask myself that until I did my research. Not all STEAM careers are what people would consider ideal, BUT they fall within the category.
STEAM careers can be in the areas of:
- Public Health (including non-profit work)
- Video Game Designer (ex. creating exercise games)
- Medical Illustrator (perfect if you love art!)
- Fashion Designer
- Database Administrator
- Epidemiologist (popular with the pandemic)
- Product Developer (ex. Creating formulas for skincare and makeup!)
- Sports Announcers (Touchdown!)
- Becoming a pilot for planes + ships
- And even a career as a food scientist (ex. creating vegan foods such as Beyond Meat and JustEggs)!
Whatever field you think is not possible, remember to always do your research because there is a whole world out there for you ready to help you accomplish your dreams! Break the biases in the world of STEAM and the gender gap because the future lies within the next generation of young girls and young women!
References:
https://www.nea.org/resource-library/american-education-week-november-15-19-2021
https://womeninstem.org/
https://careerkids.com/pages/s-t-e-m-careers
Do any of the career listed above intrest you? Let us know in the comments below.
